Archive for November, 2012
No Evidence Tamiflu Can Actually Stop the Flu
November 14th, 2012Yeah, but it’s effective for giving children nausea, insomnia and nightmares. Via: AP: A leading British medical journal is asking the drug maker Roche to release all its data on Tamiflu, claiming there is no evidence the drug can actually stop the flu. The drug has been stockpiled by dozens of governments worldwide in case […]
General Strikes in Spain and Portugal
November 14th, 2012Via: BBC: Workers across the European Union are staging a series of protests and strikes against rising unemployment and austerity measures. General strikes in Spain and Portugal halted transport, businesses and schools and led to clashes between police and protesters in Madrid. Smaller strikes were reported in Greece, Italy and Belgium, and rallies were planned […]
Five Really Cool Inventions Being Developed In Metro Detroit
November 14th, 2012Via: Metromode: They actually make things here. Cool things. Things that may have no commercial value, or they may be market-ready. The idea may not originate here, but innovators find a way to make it happen at places like TechShop and i3Detroit, or in garages and school shops. That’s one thing that Metro Detroit has […]
Australia: Man Questions Power Company Justifications for Rate Increases, Gets Threatening Letter from Law Firm
November 14th, 2012Via: Sydney Morning Herald: The thing that really irks Bruce Robertson is not just that the giant power companies are threatening to sue him but that their lawyers are demanding he pay for their costs. βIt was a service I never requested,” quips Robertson, who has had to resort to black humour since the letter […]
Foxconn Begins Deploying Robots
November 14th, 2012Via: Singularity Hub: It appears as if Gou has started the ball in motion. Since the announcement, a first batch of 10,000 robots β aptly named Foxbots β appear to have made its way into at least one factory, and by the end of 2012, another 20,000 more will be installed.
Google Says Government Surveillance Growing
November 14th, 2012Captain Obvious in the house. Via: Information Week: In its sixth semiannual government Transparency Report, Google on Tuesday noted that one trend is clear: “Government surveillance is on the rise.” This may not come as a shock at a time when an FBI investigation into confrontational email messages between two women uncovered a tangentially related […]
Mind-Controlled Robot Avatars Inch Towards Reality
November 14th, 2012Life imitating art: Sleep Dealer Avatar Surrogates Via: Gizmag: Researchers at the CNRS-AIST Joint Robotics Laboratory (a collaboration between France’s Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology) are developing software that allows a person to drive a robot with their thoughts alone. The technology could one […]
Malaysia: ‘Smart Village’ Offers World Model for Rural Poverty Relief
November 13th, 2012I was intrigued by their food production methods. They make extensive use of Autopot hydroponic systems. This looks very impressive. Via: Press Release – Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology: An innovative, high-tech “smart village” built in Malaysia provides a potential global template for addressing rural poverty in a sustainable environment, say international experts meeting […]
Finnish Nickel and Zinc Mine Leaking Water with High Levels of Uranium
November 13th, 2012Via: Reuters: Finnish nickel miner Talvivaara said on Friday it was still trying to fix a waste water leak at its mine in Sotkamo, eastern Finland, which resulted in high levels of uranium in nearby waters. Uranium more than 50 times higher than normal levels were found in streams this week near Talvivaara’s nickel and […]
Petraeus Investigation Ensnares Commander of U.S., NATO Troops in Afghanistan
November 13th, 2012Besides Petraeus and Allen, there’s Gaouette and Sinclair. What’s going on here??? Via: Washington Post: The FBI probe into the sex scandal that prompted CIA Director David Petraeus to resign has expanded to ensnare Gen. John R. Allen, the commander of U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan, the Pentagon announced early Tuesday. According to a […]
